Legacies of War and Reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Living Together into the Future

The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995) was the most serious outbreaks of violence in Europe since World War II. The bloody conflict among ethnic Serbs, Croats, and Bosnian Muslims after the collapse of Yugoslavia left almost 100,000 dead and 2,000,000 displaced. Only the armed intervention of the United States and NATO brought the conflict to an end.

Two decades later, what have we learned about the causes of the war and the challenges of reconciliation that followed? How have religious communities and civil society furthered the process of peacebuilding, and what obstacles remain? Several experts addressed these questions.

The panel discussion coincided with the International Prayer for Peace, held in Sarajevo from September 9 to 11, 2012. The Prayer for Peace, organized by the Rome-based Community of Sant'Egidio, is the largest annual interfaith gathering in the world.